WKU Volleyball: Lady Tops break into Top-25 rankings at No. 24

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After four weeks of receiving votes, WKU Volleyball has finally cracked the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association’s Top-25 rankings, debuting at No. 24. The Lady Topper program has now received votes each of the last 10 seasons and has been ranked in the top 25 eight of the last nine campaigns.

Head coach Travis Hudson and company have continuously crossed milestones off as they roll through their 2019 slate. The squad’s most recent feat included securing the best start in program history with a 19-1 record.

Fellow Conference USA member, Rice, is in the top-25 rankings as well, moving up to No. 19 this week. The Owls own a 16-1 record on the season and remain as the other team sitting at 5-0 in league play with the Lady Toppers.

WKU will visit Houston on Sunday, Nov. 10 for the regular-season meeting with Rice before returning less than two weeks later for the Conference USA Tournament from Nov. 22-24.

Following the seventh week of play, WKU Volleyball leads the nation in numerous categories both as a team and individually. The Red and White’s 19 wins and 13 sweeps are both an NCAA best while the team’s 15-match win streak is also tied for the best in the country.

Individually, WKU senior Sophia Cerino leads the NCAA in service aces and aces per set with 53 on the season. Lauren Matthews’ hitting percentage of .451 ranks fifth across the nation while Nadia Dieudonne sits in seventh for total assists with 753 to date.

The last time WKU Volleyball was ranked was during the 2017 campaign. The Lady Toppers broke into the top 25 at least once every season from 2011-17 and after just receiving votes last season is back in the ranks.